Prosthetic heart valves

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a continuous tubular shaped valve member formed from crosslinked, acellular pericardium tissue. The tubular shaped valve member can have a lumen, an outer wall, a longitudinal axis, an inlet portion, and an outlet portion, the outlet portion comprising a top edge, wherein said top edge is disposed proximate said inlet portion, the outlet portion defining an outlet in fluid communication with said lumen of said tubular shaped valve member, said inlet portion defining an inlet in fluid communication with said lumen of said tubular shaped valve member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A prosthetic heart valve comprising:
 a continuous tubular shaped valve member comprising crosslinked, acellular pericardium tissue,   said tubular shaped valve member further comprising a lumen, an outer wall, a longitudinal axis, an inlet portion, and an outlet portion, said outlet portion comprising a top edge, wherein said top edge is disposed proximate said inlet portion   said outlet portion defining an outlet in fluid communication with said lumen of said tubular shaped valve member, said inlet portion defining an inlet in fluid communication with said lumen of said tubular shaped valve member.   
     
     
         2 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said continuous tubular shaped valve member further comprises a supplemental support structure. 
     
     
         3 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said crosslinked, acellular pericardium tissue comprises a tensile strength in the range of 9 MPa to 12 MPa. 
     
     
         4 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said crosslinked, acellular pericardium tissue comprises crosslinked, acellular bovine pericardium tissue. 
     
     
         5 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said crosslinked, acellular pericardium tissue comprises a pharmacological agent. 
     
     
         6 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 5 , wherein said pharmacological agent comprises a pharmacological agent selected from the group consisting of desoximetasone, sirolimus, cyclosporine and prednisolone. 
     
     
         7 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 5 , wherein said pharmacological agent comprises an HMG-COA reductase inhibitor selected from the group consisting of atorvastatin, cerivastatin, fluvastatin and lovastatin. 
     
     
         8 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said crosslinked, acellular pericardium tissue comprises a growth factor selected from the group consisting of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). 
     
     
         9 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said crosslinked, acellular pericardium tissue is derived from pericardium tissue devoid of xenogeneic antigens.